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National Day of Reason

The National Day of Reason is not just an inversion of the National Day of Prayer; rather, it is a day for atheists and humanists to try and undo the damage that religion has done. For the imposed silence of non-Christian viewpoints, atheists seek to make themselves visible; for the inappropriate establishment of religion, humanists seek to reinforce and strengthen the wall between state and church; and for the millions of hands idled by prayer and dogma, freethinkers try to do their part in repairing the world.

Although practiced independently by groups and individuals across the country, many National Day of Reason activities are coordinated by the American Humanist Association and Washington Area Secular Humanists. The lists NDR events nationwide; if you are planning something, register it on the website!

Your Event:

How Can I Make This the Best National Day of Reason Ever?

The National Day of Reason is a great time to focus on the SSA's four core areas: community, education, activism, and service. To that end, there are a variety of things you can do:

One of the most common and best NDR activities is hosting a blood drive, or going as a group to give blood.

Many groups take this day to picket and protest state and local governments for separation of state and church. This can include a Humanist Advocacy Day, wherein your members can directly lobby legislators and public officials to promote science education, state/church separation, and other freethought issues.

Urge your mayor or local council to issue a proclamation on the need for reason, critical inquiry, and the scientific method. Some groups have even been able to perform a secular invocation at their city councils.

Host a speaker or debate on the separation of church and state, the (in)efficacy of prayer, the problem of faith-based initiatives, and other topics.

Any sort of party, wild bash or madcap romp is acceptable. Think about having an ice cream social for freethinkers and other advocates for a secular society. (With options for vegans and the lactose-intolerant, or course).

Conduct a letter-writing campaign to get campus members to promote secular government and freethought issues.

One of our best resources to find out what works and what doesn't is you - our student leaders! If you've employed a strategy that worked well, let us know about it so other groups can also use that idea. If you've learned a lesson of caution about something we suggest, point out the pitfalls. You can email us at organizer@secularstudents.org!